China further relaxes COVID-19 restrictions after protests
2 years, 3 months ago

China further relaxes COVID-19 restrictions after protests

The Hindu  

Cities across China further unwound COVID restrictions Friday, loosening testing and quarantine rules in the wake of nationwide protests calling for an end to lockdowns and greater political freedoms. A number of cities have also begun loosening COVID restrictions, such as moving away from daily mass testing requirements – a tedious mainstay of life under Beijing's stringent zero-COVID policy. Social media footage posted Thursday night and geolocated by AFP showed dozens of people clashing with health workers in white hazmat suits outside a middle school in Yicheng, in central China's Hubei province. An analysis by the state-run newspaper People's Daily on Friday quoted a number of health experts supporting local government moves to allow positive cases to quarantine at home, which would be a marked departure from current rules.

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History of this topic

What is really behind the mystery new virus gripping China and the world
2 months, 3 weeks ago

What is really behind the mystery new virus gripping China and the world

The Independent  

It was just a few days after new year’s celebrations when news of a surge in the number of people infected with a new kind of virus began to emerge. However, the number of beds occupied by patients with flu in the second week of winter is the highest “since the first publication of the measure” in 2020-21. open image …

A filmmaker made a documentary about protests in China. Now he’s sentenced to more than 3 years in prison
2 months, 3 weeks ago

A filmmaker made a documentary about protests in China. Now he’s sentenced to more than 3 years in prison

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN — A Chinese filmmaker has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for his documentary about China’s nationwide protests against Covid lockdowns in late 2022, as Beijing seeks to erase public memories of stunning scenes of dissent against its handling of the pandemic. Chen, who goes by the name “Plato,” was detained by Shanghai police in November …

Is there an epidemic brewing in China?
2 months, 4 weeks ago

Is there an epidemic brewing in China?

India Today  

Social media platforms have been inundated with alarming claims about a new epidemic spreading across China. Users are sharing videos showing overcrowded hospitals and suggesting the rapid spread of multiple respiratory viruses, including Influenza A, HMPV, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and COVID-19. However, there is currently no credible evidence to support these claims, and official confirmation from health authorities remains absent. The …

The unsettled debate about Covid origins
2 months, 4 weeks ago

The unsettled debate about Covid origins

Hindustan Times  

On December 31, 2019, a notice about an unusual pneumonia cluster in Wuhan, China made its way to the WHO’s disease surveillance system. Doctors who raised early alarms found their warnings quietened by institutional inertia and political opacity and critical questions about the virus’s origins – whether from Huanan Market or a laboratory incident – were buried under China’s obstructionism. …

‘Made in Wuhan, shipped by Beijing’: A story of how Communist Party of China gave world Covid-19 pandemic
2 months, 4 weeks ago

‘Made in Wuhan, shipped by Beijing’: A story of how Communist Party of China gave world Covid-19 pandemic

Firstpost  

If it were not for the actions of the Chinese regime, the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan would have never turned into a global pandemic that killed millions, experts are increasingly reaching this conclusion. Two days before Shi’s paper, a separate team of Chinese scientists had reported in another paper that a virus found in Yunnan, BtCoV/4991, had a 98.7 per …

COVID-19 infections not problematic, experts say
7 months, 2 weeks ago

COVID-19 infections not problematic, experts say

China Daily  

The number of people in China being infected with COVID-19 is fluctuating reasonably and won't be a burden on medical resources or the public, experts said. However, the National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases said the percentage of people catching flu and testing positive for COVID-19 rose from 8.9 percent in early July to 18.7 percent late last month. "COVID-19 …

Amendment to improve health, quarantine measures
9 months ago

Amendment to improve health, quarantine measures

China Daily  

Visitors line up for check in at Beijing Daxing International Airport. Chinese lawmakers on Friday passed an amendment to China's Frontier Health and Quarantine Law to prevent cross-border transmission of infectious diseases and resolve major public health threats. The General Administration of Customs, China's top customs authority, should also keep upgrading or streamlining quarantine procedures based on monitoring and risk …

China stands alone in its attitude towards the pandemic
1 year, 1 month ago

China stands alone in its attitude towards the pandemic

Hindustan Times  

The omicron variant of COVID-19 poses enormous challenges for governments. In America, cases are at three times their previous peak in January 2021, hospitals are as busy as they have ever been and deaths have risen by 40% in two weeks to 1,800 per day. Covid In China: Security guards wearing personal protective equipment amid the Covid-19 pandemic sit at …

China’s Management of Covid-19 Crisis: A Case Study in Disinformation and Censorship - News18
1 year, 2 months ago

China’s Management of Covid-19 Crisis: A Case Study in Disinformation and Censorship - News18

News 18  

Censorship, surveillance, and authoritarianism have become synonyms with China in recent years. The court observed that had the government officials heeded to the warnings from the detained healthcare workers and adopted precautionary measures than taking punitive measures by labelling them as rumourmonger, “it would’ve meant we could better control the coronavirus today.” Dr Li contracted covid19 on January 8, 2020, …

China says a surge in respiratory illnesses is caused by flu and other known pathogens
1 year, 4 months ago

China says a surge in respiratory illnesses is caused by flu and other known pathogens

Associated Press  

BEIJING — A surge in respiratory illnesses across China that has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization is caused by the flu and other known pathogens and not by a novel virus, the country’s health ministry said Sunday. Recent clusters of respiratory infections are caused by an overlap of common viruses such as the influenza virus, rhinoviruses, the …

Chinese hospitals ‘overwhelmed with sick children’ after surge in respiratory illness
1 year, 4 months ago

Chinese hospitals ‘overwhelmed with sick children’ after surge in respiratory illness

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy China insists it has not …

No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO
1 year, 4 months ago

No ‘unusual’ virus behind rising Pneumonia cases China has clarified, reveals WHO

Firstpost  

Since mid-October 2023, the World Health Organization has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems showing an increase in respiratory illness in children in northern China China has reiterated that no unusual or new pathogens have been detected in the upsurge in child respiratory illnesses in the north, the WHO said on Thursday after putting pressure on Beijing for detailed …

China's pneumonia scare: Transparency please
1 year, 4 months ago

China's pneumonia scare: Transparency please

Live Mint  

China, where covid broke out in November 2019, is in the spotlight again. The World Health Organization has asked the country for details on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children. In a recent statement, the WHO noted an increase in influenza-like ailments compared to the same autumn of the past three years in China’s …

Spike in illnesses isn’t a new pathogen, China reassures WHO
1 year, 4 months ago

Spike in illnesses isn’t a new pathogen, China reassures WHO

Salon  

An outbreak of respiratory illnesses in China has sparked alarm, but the sudden rise in sickness is not related to a new virus, according to Chinese health authorities. So far, the data suggests that there’s nothing out of the ordinary, but both the WHO and China have been criticized in the past for not being entirely transparent about the COVID-19 …

China says 'no unusual pathogen detected' after WHO requests more information on pneumonia outbreak
1 year, 4 months ago

China says 'no unusual pathogen detected' after WHO requests more information on pneumonia outbreak

India TV News  

China says 'no unusual pathogen detected' after WHO requests more information on pneumonia outbreak The World Health Organisation said that it has been monitoring data from the Chinese surveillance system that showed a worrying increase in respiratory illnesses among children in northern China. The World Health Organisation on Thursday officially requested China for more information on a potential rise in …

On China pneumonia outbreak, scientists caution to not press ‘pandemic panic button’
1 year, 4 months ago

On China pneumonia outbreak, scientists caution to not press ‘pandemic panic button’

Hindustan Times  

Leading scientists urged caution over fears of another pandemic on Thursday after the World Health Organization requested more information from China on a rise of respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters among children. The standard wording of the alert echoed the first-ever notice about what would become COVID-19, sent on Dec. 30 2019: "Undiagnosed pneumonia - China." "I am not going …

WHO calls on China to reinstate masks and keep distance amid outbreak
1 year, 4 months ago

WHO calls on China to reinstate masks and keep distance amid outbreak

Daily Mail  

People in China should wear masks, socially distance and stay home if unwell amid an outbreak of a mystery respiratory illness, global health chiefs have warned. These include 'recommended vaccination; keeping distance from people who are ill; staying home when ill; getting tested and medical care as needed; wearing masks as appropriate; ensuring good ventilation; and regular hand-washing', the WHO …

WHO calls on China to reinstate masks, social distancing and staying home when ill amid mystery pneumonia outbreak
1 year, 4 months ago

WHO calls on China to reinstate masks, social distancing and staying home when ill amid mystery pneumonia outbreak

Daily Mail  

China must be more transparent on new outbreak than with Covid, experts say People in China should wear masks, socially distance and stay home if unwell amid an outbreak of a mystery respiratory illness, global health chiefs have warned. Students being dismissed from a school in Beijing as the city and others in Northern China are hit by a wave …

China Sees Surge in ‘Unexplained’ Pneumonia Cases Among Children; WHO Seeks More Details
1 year, 4 months ago

China Sees Surge in ‘Unexplained’ Pneumonia Cases Among Children; WHO Seeks More Details

News 18  

Masks and social distancing have made a comeback in China due to a mysterious pneumonia outbreak. As the country experiences a strain on hospitals because of a sharp increase in cases of unexplained illness, especially among children, the World Health Organization issued a guidance on Wednesday. Earlier this week, ProMED, noted a growing number of media reports of clusters of …

China says seasonal germs, rather than ‘unusual or novel pathogens,’ behind spike in pediatric respiratory illness, WHO says
1 year, 4 months ago

China says seasonal germs, rather than ‘unusual or novel pathogens,’ behind spike in pediatric respiratory illness, WHO says

CNN  

CNN — Chinese health authorities told the World Health Organization on Thursday that a spike in cases of children with pneumonia or respiratory illness in the northern part of the country stems from typical seasonal germs rather than any novel or unknown pathogen, the organization said. At Thursday’s teleconference, WHO said, the Chinese officials reported enhanced surveillance of respiratory illnesses …

What is the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China?
1 year, 4 months ago

What is the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China?

Al Jazeera  

The WHO has asked China for more information on the undiagnosed respiratory illness that has spiked since October 2023. As China experiences its first winter without strict COVID-19 restrictions since the outbreak of the pandemic three years ago, a wave of respiratory illnesses is sweeping across the country. On Wednesday, the WHO asked China to release information on the recent …

Is COVID making a return to China this winter?
1 year, 4 months ago

Is COVID making a return to China this winter?

Firstpost  

China’s leading respiratory illness expert Zhong Nanshan has warned of a minor COVID-19 surge in the winter and urged the elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated as soon as possible Concerned about an increase of COVID-19 infections in the current winter season, Chinese experts have issued an alert and advised vaccination for vulnerable and old groups. The Chinese Centre …

China on ALERT over likely COVID-19 relapse ahead of winter
1 year, 4 months ago

China on ALERT over likely COVID-19 relapse ahead of winter

India TV News  

COVID-19 alert: Ahead of the winter season, an alert has been sounded across China about the relapse of COVID-19 infections and experts have asked elderly and vulnerable populations to get vaccinated. The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed that a total of 209 new severe COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths caused by COVID-19 were reported across the country …

China removes COVID-19 testing for travellers in apparent bid to revive deteriorating economy
1 year, 7 months ago

China removes COVID-19 testing for travellers in apparent bid to revive deteriorating economy

India TV News  

In a milestone towards ending COVID-19 restrictions since 2020, incoming travellers to China will no longer need a negative test from Wednesday. China's zero-COVID policy Under the 'zero COVID' policy, China introduced draconian measures that prevented most Chinese citizens from traveling abroad, limited face-to-face diplomatic exchanges and sharply reduced the number of foreigners in China for work and study. Although …

‘Mayhem’: China warned by US, France on air safety during COVID
1 year, 8 months ago

‘Mayhem’: China warned by US, France on air safety during COVID

Al Jazeera  

Emails obtained from the US Federal Aviation Administration reveal concerns over Beijing’s ‘zero COVID’ policy. China’s strict COVID rules for flights during the pandemic were repeatedly flagged as an air safety risk by foreign officials, with one diplomat describing the situation as “mayhem and even dangerous”, newly released emails reveal. In August 2021, the French embassy in Beijing warned the …

Large-scale COVID reemergence 'unlikely' despite uptick in cases
1 year, 10 months ago

Large-scale COVID reemergence 'unlikely' despite uptick in cases

China Daily  

China Daily| Updated :2023-05-19 The risk of a new large-scale COVID-19 outbreak in China in the short term is minimal, despite a recent uptick in new infections, according to health experts. Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a group interview that the recent increase in new cases is unlikely to overwhelm …

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over
1 year, 10 months ago

China to remain alert even as WHO declares COVID-19 global emergency over

Firstpost  

A top Chinese health official said that despite the World Health Organisation ending the worldwide emergency designation for COVID-19, the virus is still dangerous and China will continue to monitor it while boosting vaccination rates among high-risk groups. According to Liang Wannian, head of China’s COVID-19 response expert group under the National Health Commission, the warning status being lifted by …

DC Edit | Covid isn't over, be cautious
2 years ago

DC Edit | Covid isn't over, be cautious

Deccan Chronicle  

After lying low for quite some time, the Covid-19 virus has started rearing its head again in the country. The daily caseload which came down to two digits towards the end of the last year has of late been crossing 1,000; as per the health ministry data, India logged 1,300 new cases, the highest in 140 days, on Thursday while …

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives
2 years ago

Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives

LA Times  

An elderly patient uses a ventilator in the hallway of the emergency ward in Beijing in January. Chinese state media claimed the decision to open up was based on “scientific analysis and shrewd calculation,” and “by no means impulsive.” But in reality, China’s ruling Communist Party ignored repeated efforts by top medical experts to kick-start exit plans until it was …

China opens borders to tourists after 3 years of restrictions
2 years ago

China opens borders to tourists after 3 years of restrictions

The Hindu  

China will, starting March 15, 2023, fully reopen its borders and allow tourists back into the country after three years of pandemic restrictions. Foreigners “with valid visas issued before March 28, 2020 will be allowed to enter China”, the National Immigration Administration said in a notice, adding that it had “decided to adjust policies of foreigners’ visas and entry from …

COVID test requirement lifted for travelers from China to US
2 years ago

COVID test requirement lifted for travelers from China to US

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A requirement that travelers to …

U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China as early as Friday
2 years ago

U.S. to relax COVID testing rules for travelers from China as early as Friday

LA Times  

The Biden administration is preparing to relax COVID-19 testing restrictions for travelers from China as soon as Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision. The restrictions were put in place Dec. 28 and took effect Jan. 5 amid the surge in China after the government sharply eased pandemic restrictions and as U.S. health officials expressed concerns that their …

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory
2 years ago

China dismisses FBI statement on COVID-19 lab leak theory

Firstpost  

Beijing: For the second day in a row, China on Wednesday dismissed U.S. suggestions that the COVID-19 pandemic may have been triggered by a virus that leaked from a Chinese laboratory. Responding to comments by FBI Director Christopher Wray, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the involvement of the U.S. intelligence community was evidence enough of the “politicization of origin …

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically
2 years, 1 month ago

The resurgence of COVID-19 needs to be tackled scientifically

China Daily  

A medical staff administers a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine for a resident through nose at a temporary vaccination site in Haidian district, Beijing, capital of China, Dec 17, 2022. Data from Feb 16 shows that only 1.1 percent of people in China had tested positive after nucleic acid testing nationwide, down from 29.2 percent during the peak; visits …

China says 200 million treated for COVID since November, pandemic ‘decisively’ beaten
2 years, 1 month ago

China says 200 million treated for COVID since November, pandemic ‘decisively’ beaten

LA Times  

Commuters during the morning rush hour in the central business district of Beijing on Thursday. China says more than 200 million of its citizens have been diagnosed and treated for COVID-19 since it lifted strict containment measures beginning in November. With 800,000 of the most critically ill patients having recovered, China has “decisively beaten” the pandemic, according to notes from …

COVID-19 infections continue to decline in China
2 years, 1 month ago

COVID-19 infections continue to decline in China

China Daily  

People wearing masks walk on a street in Huai'an, Jiangsu province, Jan 21, 2023. The Chinese mainland reported over 80,000 COVID-19-related deaths at hospitals from Dec 8 to Feb 9, as the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths associated with the disease have been trending downward consistently this year, data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention show. …

Beijing has hit ‘temporary herd immunity’, says Chinese health official
2 years, 1 month ago

Beijing has hit ‘temporary herd immunity’, says Chinese health official

Firstpost  

A torrent of cases cascaded through China since the Communist Party abruptly ended its zero-Covid policy last month. But there have been signs that the surge has started to tail off, with authorities saying last week that the number of daily Covid-19 deaths had fallen by nearly 80 percent in January Beijing: Beijing has reached “temporary herd immunity” and its …

China says Covid-19 deaths, severe cases have fallen over 70% since peak
2 years, 2 months ago

China says Covid-19 deaths, severe cases have fallen over 70% since peak

India Today  

Critically ill COVID-19 cases in China are down 72% from a peak early this month while daily deaths among COVID-19 patients in hospitals have dropped 79% from their peak, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday. The CDC said the number of critically ill patients in China peaked on Jan. 4 at 128,000 cases and fell to …

COVID-19 update: China faces challenge due to flawed containment policies, ineffective vaccines, says Report
2 years, 2 months ago

COVID-19 update: China faces challenge due to flawed containment policies, ineffective vaccines, says Report

India TV News  

China COVID-19 update : China is facing a significant challenge in the form of COVID-19, due to the Chinese Communist Party's "flawed and regressive containment policies and ineffective domestically produced vaccines," GeoPolitica.info reported. China's COVID-19 containment strategy has affected Chinese people and has caused major discontent among people in the country, as per the GeoPolitica.info report. Vaccines manufactured in China …

‘In Dec 2022, new Covid infections exceeded 70 lakhs per day’, says China
2 years, 2 months ago

‘In Dec 2022, new Covid infections exceeded 70 lakhs per day’, says China

Live Mint  

China Covid case update: The Chinese authorities have informed that the daily number of Covid cases in the east Asian country had hit a peak of 7 million reported cases per day during December last year. The figures published in China's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention website said, "around December 22, 2022, the number of infected people and the …

As schools are set to resume face-to-face classes in Hong Kong, mainland Chinese students face adjustment problems
2 years, 2 months ago

As schools are set to resume face-to-face classes in Hong Kong, mainland Chinese students face adjustment problems

Firstpost  

Parents and teachers have called for a range of support services for children who may face adjustment problems New Delhi: Thousands of children who live in mainland China and attend Hong Kong schools will return to their campuses for the first time in three years, parents and teachers of students said. According to a report in the South China Morning …

'Not Afraid of the Virus': Wuhan Turns Page on Covid, Three Years On
2 years, 2 months ago

'Not Afraid of the Virus': Wuhan Turns Page on Covid, Three Years On

News 18  

Residents of China’s Wuhan said Monday they were hopeful for the future and no longer afraid of Covid-19, three years after the city was locked down over what was then a mysterious virus. Many flocked to Guiyuan Temple, one of Wuhan’s most famed sites — open for a Lunar New Year holiday for the first time in three years. “People …

China: Over 12,000 people have died of Covid in 1 week, says govt data
2 years, 2 months ago

China: Over 12,000 people have died of Covid in 1 week, says govt data

Op India  

Chinese health authorities have said that more than 12,000 hospitalized people infected with COVID-19 died in seven days through Thursday, NHK World-Japan reported. Meanwhile, Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist of China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention has claimed that about 80 per cent of China’s population has been infected with COVID-19, which is nearly eight in 10 people, CNN …

’Not afraid of the virus’: Wuhan turns page on Covid, three years on
2 years, 2 months ago

’Not afraid of the virus’: Wuhan turns page on Covid, three years on

Live Mint  

Residents of China's Wuhan said Monday they were hopeful for the future and no longer afraid of Covid-19, three years after the city was locked down over what was then a mysterious virus. But life is now back to normal for many across the globe and after almost three years of gruelling lockdowns and mandatory mass testing, Beijing last month …

Decoding China’s COVID-19 Policy U-Turn
2 years, 2 months ago

Decoding China’s COVID-19 Policy U-Turn

The Diplomat  

On November 30, several districts in the southern hub metropolis Guangzhou took the lead in lifting a large number of COVID-19-related lockdowns, as well as suspending testing requirements. In face of this, local and provincial administrations – in adherence to official party doctrine concerning “zero COVID” – turned to lockdowns and mass testing campaigns as desperate measures in tackling the …

13,000 covid fatalities are reported in China in one week
2 years, 2 months ago

13,000 covid fatalities are reported in China in one week

Op India  

After a top health official stated that the vast majority of the Chinese populace has already been infected by the virus, China reported about 13,000 hospital fatalities linked to covid between January 13 and January 19 across the country. According to a statement released on Saturday by China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over the course of the year, …

China logs nearly 13,000 Covid deaths in a week
2 years, 2 months ago

China logs nearly 13,000 Covid deaths in a week

The Hindu  

China reported nearly 13,000 Covid-related deaths in hospitals between January 13 and 19, after a top health official said the vast majority of the population had already been infected. The death toll came a week after China said nearly 60,000 people had died with Covid in hospitals in just over a month -- but there has been widespread scepticism over …

A group of friends attended a vigil in Beijing. Then one by one, they disappeared
2 years, 2 months ago

A group of friends attended a vigil in Beijing. Then one by one, they disappeared

CNN  

CNN — When one by one, the friends of a young woman living in Beijing began disappearing — detained by the police after attending a vigil together weeks earlier — she felt sure that her time was nearing. In other words, when you see this video, I have been taken away by the police for a while.” The woman — …

China lifted 'zero covid' policy to eradicate Tibetans from Tibet: Report
2 years, 2 months ago

China lifted 'zero covid' policy to eradicate Tibetans from Tibet: Report

Op India  

After the mass protest against China’s Zero Covid policy, Beijing took a U-turn and loosened up its strict restriction only to use them as a tool to kill and eradicate the Tibetans from Tibet, as per the Voice Against Autocracy. According to the latest report, 100 people alone have died in Lhasa due to Covid since Beijing lifted its strict …

China Reports 70% Rise In Weekly Covid Hospitalisation, Highest Since Pandemic Outbreak: WHO
2 years, 2 months ago

China Reports 70% Rise In Weekly Covid Hospitalisation, Highest Since Pandemic Outbreak: WHO

ABP News  

The World Health Organization’s weekly report on Thursday showed China reported a large jump in Covid-19 hospitalisations in the week up to January 15. This is the highest weekly figure China has recorded since the virus first emerged more than three years ago, the WHO noted, according to the news agency Reuters. However, the global body said it is still …

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